Long Road to China - Our Adoption Story

Donations can be made nation wide at any Trustmark National Bank through the account:

Phillip Smith or Niki J. Smith's Adoption Account

If you would like to mail a donation, please mail it to

Phil or Niki Smith

P.O. Box 332 Rienzi, MS 38865

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Wishing.................Creaking Step

Wow - Some days, I just wish life could just be paused everywhere & I could go in fast-forward mode until I was ready to hit play again! Fast-forward all the work I'm behind on & need to do - -get the house spotless & organized-all the dishes washed & put up-all the clothes gone through (get rid of all the ones we do not need/do not fit) -wash & fold up all the others, get rid of all the things we do not need-strip Macy & GiGi's dresser & repaint it (so they would actually have one)-get all the yard work done & our outside looking all pretty-get the basement sealed so it could possible be used as another room-get doors put on the garage as a room & not a garage-bring the kids trampoline over here (which would require taking it apart & putting it back together)-bring the kid's playground over here - they really need a place to play with slides/swings/etc (also requires taking it apart, moving it, & assembling it{and it's huge - Thanks Joey D.; it's awesome, but you never built it to move! lol} )-clean out our storage building & get it fixed where we never finished - including bathroom -clean inside & out of the vehicles-grow a garden {I said fast-forward time while it's paused}& put up veggies so we could have good foods without the high prices & additives-message all the people i need to contact-fill out all the forms I need to fill out (which is a ton)-Go through ALL the mail from the month we were gone-write out all my bills (and magically make all the money be there when life went back on play - hey I'm wishing anyway)-get all GiGi's paperwork together (all post adoption stuff, forms filled out, medical insurance ready for go when we get her SS, etc.)-research all about deafness-learn sign language-find ALL outlets possible for Eliza-build an extra room for her (she will be 14y/o but as of now does not have her on room)- research & get fundraisers organized & ready for go-get caught up on all my business (ordering, questions answered, orders packed & shipped, etc.)-write thank you notes to many people that helped in the last adoption-Get John S.'s family there shirts that have been hanging around forever & I need to get to them-Get my wonderful friend Dawn S. her items she ordered & do something special for all she has done for me-send card out & drop food off for some-downsize, downsize, downsize to ONLY the things we need-remember who else I owe something too or need to do something for-get all the items made, organized, & an awesome display for my market items- finish many blogs I've started but not finished-write that book Phil & I are wanting to write (yeah he could be on fast-forward too)-organize pictures-cook supper - a GOOD supper-get some sleep & get rested (not sure what that is anymore)-pray, pray, pray & take time to stop & listen - listen intensely-etc., etc. etc. Doing all these things would only get me caught up to where I need to be! Sigh! Sounds more like a job for Ty Pennington & crew! LOLWowza, that was a selfish list full of I's & me, me, me! As you can probably tell I'm feeling overwhelmed today! Yes, all the above & more needs to be done & No, they will not get finished! Not today, tomorrow, next week & many will still be here in a month & years ahead! Sometimes I just feel insufficient in what I accomplish! I get just a few hours sleep and run in circles most days (or so it seems). I'm sure you are thinking "Well, get off the computer & do something!" But I feel I am doing something when I blog! I get to sit down for a few minutes (even if it includes a monkey crawling on me saying "Momma" & constantly wanting me to open something, get something out, do something - a dog using my hand as a chew toy as I try to type & keep her from jumping on the computer {this would be the smaller of the 2} & another big ol' baby standing at the couch with his jabber jaws hanging on my knee as slobber drips & his most pitiful eyes looking at me as if "are you ever going to play with me?"). I blog because it is what I feel God has led me to do to share with others. Maybe today He wanted me to share the above to say "No one gets caught up", to show we are real people with real problems too, or to get someone to give me some info on how to "Get'er all done"? I don't know but all I know is that I'm not one that has openly opened the door to our lives. God has wanted us to open our doors & God is showing out & I need to brag! We are walking up the steps & all we see is one step at a time. We can see a haze of what appears to be unending steps ahead of us as we continue up. As we proceed some steps are dark, some are broken, some have holes in them, a few are painted others are stained, some creek & are scary, some are everyday steps, some are stone while others are wood, some steps are only tiny and you can barely even tell there is a step, others appear really easy but are so shaky when you place a foot on it, & others you think are too steep to walk and are the easiest once you get there. Each step is different & even though we do not see the end, we cannot worry about that because we need to focus on the step we are at now. We find assurance, strength & endurance that there is the most enormous & sturdiest handrail right beside us at every step. Some steps we have to heavily lean on the rail to hold us up & others we simply hold on. Even if we cannot see the step ahead we can always see the handrail & it gives us the encouragement to continue to the top.So even though I'm wishing today, I'm really at a creaking step. And
to be completely honest I've not looked down so it may be a firm sturdy step and only my
knees I hear creaking as my leg quiver.I find strength that I can hold on tight to the handrail & it will not leave me stranded! I pray you will take the challenge to climb the steps ahead of you with perseverance & comfort knowing you are not alone & the prize is at the top........even if you cannot see it!

And then the curves

These steps look easy but it's not all black & white....

You turn the corner only to be at the bottom of this....

Sometimes you may even have valleys before you reach the top

Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

I don't have to understand! My God's got it! He is the all-knowing & not I!